Target track seeking for data recording and reproducing system

ABSTRACT

An object of the present invention is to record or reproduce time-sequential data to/from recording media exemplified by hard disks at the transfer speed closer to that of the recording medium.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to data recording/reproducing systems andmethods for use with randomly-accessible recording media, computerprograms and the recording media, and specifically, relates to atechnology for a disk-shaped recording medium that performs data readingand writing while scanning a magnetic head on a magnetic disk whichserves as a medium such as a hard disk. More specifically, the presentinvention relates to a technology that achieves stable data recordingand reproduction while shortening the time taken to access any desireddata storage location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2000-276856

[Patent Document 2] JP-A-2000-278645

As information technology including information processing andinformation communications becomes more advanced, the need arises forreusing information that has been previously created and edited. Such aneed increases to a great degree the significance of the technology usedfor information storage. Until now, information recorders utilizingvarious media exemplified by magnetic tapes and magnetic disks have beendeveloped and used widely.

Among such information recorders, HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) are auxiliarystorage devices of a magnetic recording system. The drive unit of an HDDhouses a plurality of magnetic media each serving as a recording medium,and those magnetic media are motor-driven and rotate at a high speed.The magnetic media are each plated with a magnetic substance includingiron oxide and cobalt chromium, or coated with a thin film thereof.

The surfaces of magnetic media are subjected to rotation scanning by themagnetic head in the radius direction. As a result of such scanning, themagnetic media are magnetized to a level equivalent to data so that datawriting or reading becomes possible.

The hard disks are already quite popular for use with personal computersas their standard external storage devices. Such hard disks are used toinstall various types of software needed to activate computers includingoperating systems (OSs), applications, or others, or to store anycreated or edited files. The HDD is generally connected to the main unitof a computer through a standard interface exemplified by IDE(Integrated Drive Electronics) or SCSI (Small Computer SystemInterface). The storage space of the HDD is managed by a file systemsuch as an FAT (File Allocation Table) serving as a sub system for theoperating system.

The HDDs have been recently increased in capacity, and such capacityincrease is favorably leading to expansion of the range of applications.Not only serving conventionally as auxiliary storage devices forcomputers, the HDDs are becoming available for storing various contentsas hard disk recorders that store any broadcast-received AV contents.

Exemplified here is a case of using a hard disk as an auxiliary storagedevice for a computer to discuss the physical format or the datareading/writing operation of the hard disk.

The hard disk is formed with, concentrically, a plurality of “tracks” asdata storage partitions. These tracks are numbered in sequence startingwith 0, from the outermost rim of the disk toward the inside. The largernumber of tracks on the disk surface leads to the larger storagecapacity of the corresponding recording medium.

The track is then divided into “sectors”, each of which is a recordingunit. The sector is used as a basis for a data reading/writing operationthat is generally performed to/from the disk. Although the size of thesector varies depending on the medium type, generally, the sector of thehard disk has 512 bytes. The track having the longer perimeter isprovided with the larger number of sectors. This is aimed touniformalize the recording density among the tracks to a substantiallevel with a consideration given to the usage efficiency of therecording media. Such a system is referred to as “Zone Bit Recording”.

With such zone bit recording adopted, the recording density can bealmost uniformalized among the tracks, but disadvantageously, no suchuniformalization can be derived for the data transfer speed. The tracklocating closer to the inner radius of the disk has the lower datatransfer speed.

Assuming that an HDD has such a structure that a plurality of recordingmedia are overlaid therein on one another concentrically, it means thatthe tracks sharing the same number among the media are forming thecylindrical shape. This is referred to as “cylinder”. The cylinder isassigned the same number as its corresponding track number, and isnumbered in sequence starting with 0 from the outermost rim of thecylinder. A head is plurally inserted among the recording media, andthose heads are always activated as a piece to move among the cylinders.

For addressing any target sector, a possible format is CHS, which is aformat to access any desired data through specification of PBAs(Physical Block Addresses) on the disk in order of C (Cylinder), H(Head), and S (Sector).

The problem with such CHS, however, there are limitations on specifiableCHS parameters on the side of the main unit of a computer that operatesas a host for the HDD. Due to such limitations, no provision can be madefor hard disks increasing in capacity. This is the reason why LBA(Logical Block Address) has been adopted, with which cylinder numbers,head numbers, and sector numbers (CHS) are represented by logicalconsecutive numbers referred to as LBA, starting from number 0.

In a conventional HDD, for data reading/writing to/from a medium throughan access made thereto, the magnetic head first scans the medium to finda track including a target sector. This is referred to as a “seek”operation of the magnetic head. Thereafter, to reach the target sectoron the track, the medium rotates until the target sector comes rightbeneath the magnetic head. This is referred to as “rotational delay”.

The larger disk capacity increases the track density, thereby narrowingthe track width to a considerable extent. In view thereof, for correctdata writing and reproduction, high precision is required forpositioning of the magnetic head. For the purpose, the servo technologyhas been adopted to enable positioning of the magnetic head always inthe track center. Specifically, the tracks are each written with asignal called “servo pattern” at given intervals, and those servopatterns are read by the magnetic head to check whether the magnetichead is locating at the track center. Such writing of servo patterns isdone with great precision during the HDD manufacturing process. Theservo regions are each written with a signal for head positioning, acylinder number, a head number, a servo number, and the like.

Many of the conventional HDDs are provided with their own interface suchas IDE or SCSI for establishing a connection with a computer. Such aninterface defines a command set, which is used for disk drive controlexercised by the main unit of the computer. As the basic operation forsuch control, specifications are made which LBA number is indicating thehead sector, and how many sectors are to be accessed.

As a result of such specifications, the HDD side becomes allowed toaccess from the specified head sector, and during such an accessprocedure, a lookahead sequence can be created with a prediction whatsector is to be accessed next.

Such a lookahead operation has the premise that sector allocation hasbeen so completed with respect to a series of data that no break isobserved in continuity of addresses from one sector to the next.Generally, such sectors showing no break in continuity of addresses areobserved in the consecutive head numbers or track numbers.

The lookahead operation works effectively for data reading in a casewhere any large data is written in a row on the recording media.

Considered here is a case where a storage region is considerablyfragmented, and any large data is thus broken up and the resulting smalldata pieces are scattered across a plurality of locations. If this isthe case, the lookahead operation at the time of data reading does notwork effectively as expected because it performs data designationerroneously. Such a phenomenon may be resulted from the fact that theHDD side is not grasping the file structure to be handled by the hostside, e.g., main unit of a computer, asking for data reading/writing.

Considered here is also a case where the sector prediction that has beenmade beforehand is found wrong by a new access request coming from thehost side. If this is the case, the disk drive does a seek operationwith respect to the track of the sector including the data in request.Once tracking is done, the disk drive waits for the target sector tobecome accessible, resulting in the seek time and latency time.

Storage of the lookahead data is performed as much as the data buffercapacity allows. If the sector prediction is found wrong consecutivelyor intermittently, any unused old data on the data buffer is discardedin order of storage. What is more, during the lookahead operation, noseek start-up is available.

As is evident from the above, the seek time and latency time, and theineffective lookahead operation are all blamed for the delay of seekstart-up, resulting in time loss. Moreover, the ineffective lookaheadoperation is the reason for data loss.

For betterment, to shorten both the seek time and the latency time, thedisk drive of a general type has been structured to have the higher diskrotation speed. This is because no regularity is observed for the amountand structure of data to be handled on the host side exemplified by acomputer, resulting in a difficulty in achieving improvement by theaccess method. Increasing the rotation speed for the disk as such is,however, considered unfavorable and causes trouble in view of powerconsumption and storage capacity.

Moreover, many of the external storage systems such as HDDs performerror correction on a sector basis. Herein, one sector has generally 512bytes. In this manner, any random errors to be generated in the sectorscan be subjected to error correction, but no error correction isavailable for the random errors if those exceed an error correctionrange, or burst errors. With this being the case, any possible readingerrors have been reduced to a certain level or lower by a retryoperation or others.

Another problem here is that such a retry operation requires a re-readprocedure with a wait for a full disk rotation. This causes a furtherdelay for the data reading time.

Exemplarily in systems dealing with AV contents, the transfer speed isoften required to be high for HD (High-Definition) reproduction, specialreproduction, or the like, and thus even if any uncorrectable readingerrors occur in the sector(s), no retry operation may be possible interms of time. If this is the case, under the present circumstances,there is no choice but to go through the procedure with no errorcorrection performed, consequently degrading the reproduction quality.

The above-mentioned Patent Document 2 discloses the technology usinginformation about importance of data blocks for recording. Based on theinformation, any data blocks indicated as important are selectivelysubjected to the retry operation, but the remaining data blocks are not,for example.

The above-described Patent Document 1 discloses the technology alsousing information about importance of data blocks for recording. Basedon the information, any data blocks indicated as important areselectively increased in their error correction capability, but theremaining data blocks are only provided with the correction capabilityof normal level, for example.

Such technologies serve properly to some extent especially in systemsdealing with AV contents or others, but are not effective enough interms of eliminating the need for the retry operation and correctingerrors, whereby the demand therefor has been increasing.

What is more, if any disturbances such as vibrations are caused duringreading of the AV contents, errors occur more than not having suchdisturbances. This consequently increases the amount of data that is notsubjectable to error correction, thereby degrading the reproductionquality after all.

With some disturbances, errors tend to occur more often immediatelyafter a seek operation is through. As a possible reason therefor, thedisturbances may problematically lengthen the time needed to deriveon-track, consequently resulting in errors.

Thus occurred errors are classified into random errors and burst errors.With no disturbance, the errors occur randomly with no exception, butwith some disturbances, the randomness is increased and burst errorsoccur sometimes.

With this being the case, as exemplary error correction, a correctionprocedure may be executed to inter-sector in addition to a correctionprocedure applied to intra-section. In this manner, the correctionprocedure becomes available not only for random errors but also forburst errors. However, the problem still remains, and as the disturbancelevel becomes higher, the sector(s) eventually becomeerror-uncorrectable, and the number of such sectors will show a furtherincrease.

When the disturbance level is high, the above-mentioned time needed toderive on-track will not be uniform to a greater degree. This meanspositioning of the head sector for data reading becomes difficultimmediately after a seek operation is through.

Another possible reason for more errors at the time of data reading isdeterioration with time. Deterioration of SPM (Spindle Motor) or VCM(Voice Coil Motor) will result in the similar phenomenon as above whenany earlier-written data is to be read out.

Any errors caused by this type of disturbances immediately after a seekoperation is through surely adversely affect the data quality, theaccess time, and the transfer speed. Accordingly, there have beendemands for taking measures against errors caused as such.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is proposed in consideration of the aboveproblems, and has the following objects using data recording/reproducingsystem and method, a computer program, and a recording medium.

That is, the time is to be shortened to access any desired data storagelocation,

data reproduction is to be stably performed without reducing thetransfer speed,

data reproduction is to be stably performed, with no retry operation andno degradation of data quality, by making random errors and burst errorserror-correctable over a wider range, and by not reducing the transferspeed, and

data reproduction is to be stably performed by eliminating adverseeffects of errors caused by disturbances immediately after a seekoperation is through, and by not reducing the transfer speed.

A data recording/reproducing system of the present invention is directedto a disk recording medium in which tracks are concentrically formed andeach having a plurality of sectors, servo regions are radially orientedat predetermined positions on each of the tracks, and servo frames areformed on the tracks with the sectors placed between the servo regions.The system includes: a seek section for seeking a target track; a dataaccess section for making accesses on the found track; and an errorcorrection section for generating an error correction code for dataerror correction, and carrying out the data error correction based onthe error correction code. The error correction section sets a firsterror correction code unit to a given amount of data, sets a seconderror correction code unit that is corresponding to two or more of thefirst error correction code units, and forms an error correction blockincluding two or more of the first error correction code units and thesecond error correction code unit provided thereto, and generates theerror correction block so that at least one of the sectors each providedwith the second error correction code unit is located in the servo frameat a head from which the data access section first starts data readingwhen the seek section moves onto a specific track of the recordingmedium.

Moreover, the error correction section forms the error correction blockin which the sector provided with the second error correction code unitis plurally placed so that two or more of the servo frames preceding orsubsequent to the head servo frame on the track also include the sectorprovided with the second error correction code unit.

Further, the error correction section forms the error correction blockin which the sector provided with the second error correction code unitis plurally placed so that all of the servo frames on the track includethe sector provided with the second error correction code unit.

In these cases, the error correction section forms the error correctionblock so that at least the head sector in the servo frame is the sectorprovided with the second error correction code unit, two or more of thesectors in sequence from the head sector are the sectors each providedwith the second error correction code unit, or the head sector and thetail sector in the servo frame are the sectors each provided with thesecond error correction code unit.

Further, the error correction section forms the error correction blockso that the sector provided with the second error correction code unitis at least located at the head of the error correction block.

Still further, the error correction section forms the error correctionblock so that the sector provided with the second error correction codeunit is plurally placed in the error correction block.

Still further, the error correction section forms the error correctionblock so that the error correction block is completed with one or moretracks.

Still further, the error correction section forms the error correctioncode with Reed-Solomon.

Still further, the error correction block to be formed by the errorcorrection section has an interleave structure in the first or seconderror correction code unit.

The data access means makes an access to the whole track found by theseek section, starting a write access from the sector whichever becomesaccessible first.

In such a case, at the write access, the data access sectionsequentially allocates a relative position address to the sectorsspecifically from the firstly-accessed sector on the track, and at aread access, rearranges data read from the sectors on the track inaccordance with the relative position addresses so that the written datais reproduced.

Moreover, in this case, the error correction section forms the errorcorrection block so that none of the tracks has two or more of the errorcorrection blocks, and the error correction block is completed with oneor more tracks.

A data recording/reproducing method of the present invention is directedto a disk recording medium in which tracks are concentrically formed andeach having a plurality of sectors, servo regions are radially orientedat predetermined positions on each of the tracks, and servo frames areformed on each of the tracks by the sectors placed between the servoregions. The method includes: a seek step of seeking a target track; adata access step of making accesses on the found track; and an errorcorrection step of generating an error correction code for data errorcorrection, and carrying out the data error correction using the errorcorrection code. In the error correction step, a first error correctioncode unit is set to a given amount of data, a second error correctioncode unit that is corresponding to two or more of the first errorcorrection code units is set, and an error correction block includingtwo or more of the first error correction code units and the seconderror correction code unit provided thereto is formed, and the errorcorrection block is generated so that at least one of the sectors eachprovided with the second error correction code unit is located in theservo frame at a head from which data reading is started in the dataaccess step when the seek step reaches a specific track of the recordingmedium.

Moreover, in the error correction step, formed is the error correctionblock in which the sector provided with the second error correction codeunit is plurally placed so that two or more of the servo framespreceding or subsequent to the head servo frame on the track alsoinclude the sector provided with the second error correction code unit.

Further, in the error correction step, formed is the error correctionblock in which the sector provided with the second error correction codeunit is plurally placed so that all of the servo frames on the trackinclude the sector provided with the second error correction code unit.

In these cases, in the error correction step, the error correction blockis formed so that at least the head sector in the servo frame is thesector provided with the second error correction code unit, two or moreof the sectors in sequence from the head sector are the sectors eachprovided with the second error correction code unit, or the head sectorand the tail sector are the sectors each provided with the second errorcorrection code unit.

Further, in the error correction step, the error correction block isformed so that the sector provided with the second error correction codeunit is at least located at the head in the error correction block.

Still further, in the error correction step, the error correction blockis formed so that the sector provided with the second error correctioncode unit is plurally placed in the error correction block.

Still further, in the error correction step, the error correction blockis formed so that the error correction block is completed with one ormore tracks.

Still further, in the error correction step, formed is the errorcorrection code with Reed-Solomon.

Still further, the error correction block to be formed in the errorcorrection step has an interleave structure in the first or second errorcorrection code unit.

In the data access step, an access is made to the whole track found inthe seek step, starting a write access from the sector whichever becomesaccessible first.

In such a case, in the data access step, at the write access, a relativeposition address is sequentially allocated to the sectors specificallyfrom the firstly-accessed sector on the track, and at a read access,data read from the sectors on the track are rearranged in accordancewith the relative position addresses so that the written data isreproduced.

Moreover, in this case, in the error correction step, the errorcorrection block is formed so that none of the tracks has two or more ofthe error correction blocks, and the error correction block is completedwith one or more tracks.

A program of the present invention is written in a computer readableformat for executing on a computer system a data recording/reproducingprocess with respect to a disk recording medium in which tracks areconcentrically formed and each having a plurality of sectors, servoregions are radially oriented at predetermined positions on each of thetracks, and servo frames are formed on the tracks with the sectorsplaced between the servo regions. The program also enables theabove-described steps of the data recording/reproducing method.

A recording medium of the present invention is a disk recording mediumin which tracks are concentrically formed and each having a plurality ofsectors, servo regions are radially oriented at predetermined positionson each of the tracks, and servo frames are formed on the tracks withthe sectors placed between the servo regions. The disk recording mediumhas such characteristics that the data having the structure of thefollowing error correction block is recorded onto the tracks. That is,in the error correction block, a first error correction code unit is setto a given amount of data, a second error correction code unit that iscorresponding to two or more of the first error correction code units isset, and two or more of the first error correction code units and thesecond error correction code unit provided thereto are included. Also,the error correction block is so generated that at least one of thesectors each provided with the second error correction code unit islocated in the servo frame at a head from which data reading is startedwhen the seek operation reaches a specific track of the recordingmedium.

With the above aspects of the present invention, the above-describedobjects are successfully realized.

That is, using the first error correction code (C1) unit enablescorrection of random errors in sectors, and using the second errorcorrection code (C2) unit enables correction of errors beyond a errorcorrection range or any burst errors occurring between the sectors. Inmore detail, with the error correction block structure of C1+C2, in thestate that no retry operation is available to keep a data transfer speedat any desired level or higher, even if no error correction using the C1is not possible, error correction using the C2 is still properlyavailable, favorably resulting in more stable system. As such, byeliminating the need for the retry operation with error-correctablerandom errors and burst errors over a wider range, data reproduction canbe performed stably without causing the reduction of the transfer speed.

What is more, in the error correction block structure, a sector havingthe second error correction code unit (C2 sector) is set to be locatedin the servo frame from which data reading is started when the C2 sectormoves to a specific track by a seek operation. With such a setting, anaccess to be made immediately after the seek operation will be startedfrom the servo frame including the C2 sector, e.g., an access is firstlymade from the C2 sector. In spite of the fact that the servo framelocating at the head immediately after the seek operation often suffersaccess errors due to disturbances or others, including a C2 sector inthe servo frame can minimize the adverse effects of the disturbances ondata sectors.

Moreover, even if the ECC correction capability is not set enough andthus errors occur, errors occurring to the C2 sector can effectivelyreduce the data loss that will be resulted from errors. That is, even ifthe C2 sectors are lost due to uncorrectable errors, no data sector islost. Thus, the data sectors can be expected to work correctly even iferrors are not correctable.

Moreover, the C2 sectors may be placed not only in the servo framelocating at the head immediately after a seek operation but also in itspreceding and subsequent servo frames. Such sector placement can betaken as a measure for a case with seek position displacement.

The data access section makes an access to the whole track found by theseek section, starting a write access from the sector whichever becomesaccessible first. For example, the access is started from the sector ofthe track on which the magnetic head reaches. This favorably eliminatesthe rotational delay at data writing. At a read access, the access unitis a track, thereby eliminating the need for an uncertain process suchas lookahead so that the timing for seek start-up can be capturedwithout fail.

Especially in this case, at a write access, the data access sectionsequentially allocates a relative position address to the sectorsspecifically from the firstly-accessed sector on the track, and at aread access, rearranges data read from the sectors on the track inaccordance with the relative position addresses so that the written datais reproduced. In this manner, basically, any sector on the track isregarded as accessible.

Thereby, data reading/writing from any arbitrary head positionimmediately after the seek operation minimizes the rotational delay. Asa result, the seek frequency can be successfully minimized, and theaccess time can be favorably shortened. Also in this case, if thearbitrary head position immediately after the seek operation is in theservo frame including the C2 sector, the adverse effects to be caused bydisturbances at a read access can be minimized.

Especially with such an access method, it is considered preferable ifevery servo frame is provided with a C2 sector.

Moreover, with such an access method, sources for write or readrequests, e.g., host units such as computers connected to HDDs, have noneed to worry about the sector addresses on the disk. What is better,using the relative position addresses having the shorter data sizeachieves effective use of the storage region.

Moreover, at a read access, the data read from the sectors on the trackis rearranged exemplarily on buffer memory in accordance with therelative position addresses. In this manner, irrespective of theposition of the sector from which accesses are started, the originaldata can be derived. If this is the case, it is considered appropriateif the error correction block is so formed that none of the tracks hastwo or more of the error correction blocks, and the error correctionblock is completed with one or more tracks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire structure of an HDD of anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a disk controller provided to the HDD ofthe embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the disk format structureof the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the servo area of a disk of theembodiment;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are both a diagram illustrating a servo frame of theembodiment;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are both a diagram illustrating an error correctionrange of the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a conversion table for an accessprocedure of the embodiment;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are both a diagram illustrating an ECC block serving asa track unit of the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the ECC block structure of theembodiment;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the interleave structure of theembodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another interleave structure of theembodiment;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating exemplary C2 sector placement underLBA access of the embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary C2 sector placementunder the LBA access of the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating still another exemplary C2 sectorplacement under the LBA access of the embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary ECC block structure ofthe embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary ECC block structureof the embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating still another exemplary ECC blockstructure of the embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating still another exemplary ECC blockstructure of the embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating exemplary C2 sector placement underrelative address access of the embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating still another exemplary ECC blockstructure of the embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary C2 sector placementunder the relative address access of the embodiment; and

FIG. 22 is a flowchart of a reproduction process of the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the below, an embodiment of the present invention is described in thefollowing order by referring to the accompanying drawings.

1. Structure of Hard Disk Drive

2. Servo Area

3. Access Operation

4. ECC Structure

5. ECC Block Setting for LBA Access

6. ECC Block Setting for Relative Address Access

7. Read Process

8. Application Example

1. Structure of Hard Disk Drive

FIG. 1 schematically shows the entire structure of an HDD (Hard DiskDrive) 10 of an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, an HDD 10 is provide with a CPU (CentralProcessing Unit) 11, ROM (Read Only Memory)/RAM (Random Access Memory)12, a disk controller 13, buffer RAM 14, a data reading/writing controlsection 15, a servo control section 16, and a magnetic disk 21.

The magnetic disk 21 is singly or plurally provided, and is recordableonto either or both surfaces (front and back disk sides). On therecording surface(s) of the magnetic disk 21, a head is provided. FIG. 1shows the structure in which two magnetic disks 21 a and 21 b areprovided, and respectively thereto, two recording/reproducing heads(magnetic heads) 22 a and 22 b are provided.

Such a structure allows, in a drive unit, a plurality of magnetic disks(platters) to be overlaid on one another concentrically. Specifically,the same track numbers of the magnetic disks form the cylindrical shape,and the resulting cylinder is numbered identically to the track number.

Note here that, as shown in FIG. 1, the magnetic disk 21 and therecording/reproducing head 22 has the one-to-one relationship only whenthe magnetic disk 21 is recordable only on its one surface.

When the front and back sides of the magnetic disk 21 are both availablefor recording, two of the recording/reproducing head 22 are providedthereto.

In FIG. 1, the CPU 11 executes a control code stored in the ROM/RAM 12to exercise overall control over the operation in the HDD 10.

The disk controller 13 receives a command from a host (not shown)connected thereto through an interface 17. The CPU 11 then applies aprocess to the command, and the disk controller 13 uses the processresult as a basis to instruct the data reading/writing control section15 and the servo control section 16 for the hardware operation.

Any write data coming from the host through the interface 17, or dataread from the magnetic disk 21 for transfer to the host is temporarilystored in the buffer RAM 14.

The data reading/writing control section 15 goes through a codemodulation process so that a data pattern is created for actualrecording, and then goes through data writing to the magnetic disk 21through a preamplifier 25. The data reading/writing control section 15also acquires the read data from the magnetic disk 21 through thepreamplifier 25 for a data demodulation process.

The servo control section 16 drives, simultaneously, a voice coil motor(VCM) 23 and a spindle motor (SPM) 24 so as to control the magnetic head22 to come within a predetermined position range on any target track onthe magnetic disk 21. Here, the voice coil motor 23 is used to move anarm incorporated to the magnetic head 22, and the spindle motor 24 isprovided for rotating the magnetic disk 21. The servo control section 16also applies control to make a servo pattern on the disk to seek thehead position at any predetermined position.

The magnetic disk 21 is formed with, concentrically, a plurality oftracks as data storage partitions. These tracks are numbered in sequencestarting with 0, 1, 2 . . . from the outermost rim of the disk 21 towardthe inside. The track is then divided into sectors, each of which is aminimum unit for the data reading/writing operation.

The data amount in a sector is 512 bytes and unchanging, for example.

The sectors in practical use for recording include, in addition to data,header information, an error correction code, or others.

With regard to how many sectors are to be provided per track, adopted isZBR (Zone Bit Recording) with which more sectors are placed in the outertracks having the longer perimeter than in the inner tracks. That is,the tracks of the magnetic disk 21 do not share the same number ofsectors. The magnetic disk 21 is divided into a plurality of zones inthe direction of the radius thereof, and the zones each have the samenumber of sectors.

FIG. 3 shows exemplary ZBR, in which a disk is divided into three zones.These zones are numbered in sequence starting with 0, 1, 2 from theoutermost rim of the disk toward the inside. Each zone includes aplurality of tracks.

In FIG. 3, each zone is further divided into sectors. In such FIG. 3example, by way of schematic example, the zone 0 includes 64 sectors,the zone 1 includes 32 sectors, and the zone 2 has 16 sectors. At thetime of zone switching, the specific number of sectors is so determinedthat the track recording density falls within a predetermined range, andthe storage capacity per disk is increased by keeping the rotation speedof the spindle motor 24 constant, by making a recording/reproducingclock variable, or the like.

FIG. 2 shows in more detail the inner structure of the disk controller13 of FIG. 1. As shown in the drawing, the disk controller 13 isprovided with a CPU interface 31, a host controller 32, a buffercontroller 33, a servo controller 34, a disk formatter 35, and an ECCcontroller 36. In FIG. 2, thick white arrows indicate flow of data.

The CPU interface 31 serves as the interface between the CPU 11 and theRAM/ROM 12, and operates to notify a command coming from the host to theCPU 11, receives the command process result from the CPU 11, or others.

The host controller 32 carries out communications with the host that isconnected thereto through the interface 17.

The buffer controller 33 exercises control over data exchange among thebuffer RAM 14 and the components in the disk controller 13.

Through control over the operation of the VCM (Voice Coil Motor) 23 andthe SPM (Spindle Motor) 24, the servo controller 34 reads servoinformation from the servo pattern on the magnetic disk 21, and forwardsthus read servo information to the servo control section 15.

The disk formatter 35 exercises control for writing of data on thebuffer RAM 14 to the magnetic disk 21, or data reading from the magneticdisk 21.

The ECC controller 36 uses the data stored in the buffer RAM 14 togenerate ECC codes for addition at data writing, or perform errorcorrection at data reading.

Such a disk controller 13 of FIG. 2 receives, from the CPU 11, formattercontrol information and ECC control information.

Herein, as the access method in this example, accesses may be made basedon so-called LBA (Logical Block Address), or accesses may be made byusing the relative address on a track basis, which will be describedlater.

With a case of LBA access, the formatter control information serves asformat information used for accessing the LBA-specified sector after thetrack found by a seek operation becomes accessible. This formattercontrol information is forwarded to the disk formatter 35 through theCPU interface 31 for creation of data formatter therein.

The ECC control information is used for making a structure setting of anECC block, which includes first and second error correction codes C1 andC2. The ECC control information is used also for making a structureinstruction to change the ECC block structure depending on the number ofsectors for every zone, for example. The ECC control information isforwarded to the ECC controller 36 through the CPU interface 31, inwhich the ECC block structure is set, and the buffer RAM 14 is accessedso that a predetermined ECC process is executed.

With a case of access using the relative address on a track basis, theformatter control information serves as format information used formaking accesses to a track, starting from the head sector after thetrack found by a seek operation becomes accessible. This formattercontrol information is forwarded to the disk formatter 35 through theCPU interface 31 for creation of data formatter therein.

The ECC control information is used for making a structure setting of anECC block, which is completed with a track, or for making a structureinstruction to change the ECC block structure depending on the number ofsectors for every zone, for example. This ECC control information isforwarded to the ECC controller 36 through the CPU interface 31, inwhich the ECC block structure is set, and the buffer RAM 14 is accessedso that a predetermined ECC process is executed.

Such control information, i.e., the formatter control information andthe ECC control information, is located in the ROM/RAM associating withthe CPU 11 of FIG. 1. Alternatively, for example, such controlinformation may be previously stored in the magnetic disk 21, and onstart-up, read from the magnetic disk 21 for storage into the buffer RAM14. With this being the case, the control information may be forwardedto any applicable components from the buffer RAM 14.

The HDD 10 of the present embodiment is structured as above, and withsuch a structure, data access control is so exercised not to causerotational delay as will be described later. Implemented thereby is asystem in which the access time is shorter, and the data transfer speedis faster. Also implemented thereby is stable data reproduction with noneed for a retry operation by making random errors and burst errorserror-correctable over a wider range, and by not reducing the transferspeed. Moreover, implemented thereby is less adverse effects caused bydisturbances or others by arranging, in a track to be accessed, a sectorof the second error correction code (C2) in a servo frame immediatelyafter a seek operation is done.

2. Servo Area

FIG. 4 shows exemplary servo area placement in the magnetic disk 21.

In FIG. 4, solid lines in the radius direction each indicate a servoarea SRV (those are not sector boundaries as those of FIG. 3).

In FIG. 4 example, the magnetic disk 21 has servo areas those areradially arranged as indicated by 32 solid lines in the radiusdirection. More specifically, the servo areas SVR are formedirrespective of zones 0, 1, and 2 each being a concentric circle. Itmeans that each zone carries 32 servo areas SVR per a track. Note herethat 32 servo areas SRV per track is no more than example.

In a case where a sector has 512 bytes, the size per sector (sectorsize) is smaller than the capacity between any two servo areas on thetrack. Accordingly, a plurality of sectors are placed on the trackbetween a specific servo area and another servo area next thereto.

Such sector placement is determined mainly on a zone basis of ZBR. Thatis, once zone switching is performed, the number of sectors placedbetween such two servo areas shows a change.

At the time of zone switching, the specific number of sectors is sodetermined that the track recording density falls within a predeterminedrange, and the storage capacity per disk is increased by keeping therotation speed of the spindle motor 24 constant, by making therecording/reproducing clock variable, or the like.

In FIG. 4 example, each track is assumed to have 32 servo areas. This isnot restrictive, and even if 96 servo areas are provided, similarly,those are radially arranged with respect to the disk, and a plurality ofsectors are placed between a given servo area and another servo areanext thereto.

With regard to a servo band, a determination factor therefor is thenumber of servo areas per track, the disk rotation speed, the servofrequency, and the like, and a setting is made in accordance with systemrequests.

As a track part denoted by “A” in FIG. 4, FIGS. 5A and 5B each show aspecific exemplary sector placed between any two servo areas.

FIG. 5A shows an example in which 8 sectors are placed between two servoareas SRV.

Note that the range sandwiched between any two servo areas SRV isreferred also to as servo frame. In this sense, FIG. 5A shows an examplein which 8 sectors are provided as a servo frame.

FIG. 5B shows an example in which 8.5 sectors are placed between twoservo areas SRV (in a servo frame).

By referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the sector length is determined by therotation speed of the spindle motor 24, the recording/reproducingclocks, or others. However, the sectors do not necessarily fit inbetween two servo areas SRV.

If this is the case, as FIG. 5A example, the sectors maximum in numberto fit in between the servo areas are first placed, and the remainingspace may be left as free space and not used for a sector.Alternatively, as FIG. 5B example, the remaining space may be used forsector placement, and if not enough for a sector, the remainder may beplaced in the next servo area to derive the higher degree of efficiency.

The servo area SRV is in charge of track position control, for example.In more detail, when the magnetic head 22 moves a trace of the trackcloser to the servo area SRV, derived is information telling whetheron-track or off-track.

Assuming here is a case where the track is out of position due todisturbances such as vibrations at data reading. When the track is outof position to a considerable extent, the servo control will beexercised all over again from the start. In other words, the datareading is interrupted, and then started from the beginning after anaccess is made to any target track.

3. Access Operation

As described in the foregoing, the possible access method includes LBAaccess and access using the relative address on a track basis. The LBAaccess is generally pretty popular for HDDs, and thus is not describedhere in detail. Described here is the address method using the relativeaddress on a track basis.

With this access method, in the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 10, an access ismade to a track starting from a sector on which the magnetic head 22 islocated. Here, the sector numbers are variable on a track, and can beprovided in consideration of their relative positions.

This makes any sector on the track accessible, i.e., the need for anuncertain process such as lookahead is eliminated by regarding a trackas an access unit so that the timing for seek start-up can be capturedwithout fail. What is better, no rotational delay is caused thanks tothe fact that any sector of a track is accessible. Thereby, the accesstime can be favorably shortened with seek frequency minimized.

For data writing onto a specific track, its sectors are each providedwith a position relative to a sector that is firstly accessed.

For data reading, the firstly-accessed sector is first subjected to datareading, and based on the relative position sector number, the data isexpanded on the buffer RAM 14. Thus, there is no restriction on whichsector is to be read out first.

FIGS. 6A and 6B both schematically show an exemplary sector format foruse by the tracks of the magnetic disk 21 to enable such an operation.

As is shown in FIG. 6A, a sector is structured by relative positiondata, a data body, and an ECC, all of which are regarded as an errorcorrection range and a recording range. Specifically, the relativeposition data represents the relative position of the sector on thetrack, and the ECC is provided for applying error correction over thesector region in its entirety.

With such a structure that the relative position data is included in theerror correction range as a header, even if a random error occurs in thesector, the relative position data becomes recoverable by errorcorrection. Accordingly, implemented thereby is the smooth disk accessoperation.

Better still, although each sector is assigned an ID field for recordingof a sector address, recorded thereinto is not an absolute position buta relative position. Thanks thereto, the ID field can be reduced insize, and such size reduction accordingly increases the field sizeavailable for the data body in the sector, thereby successfully leadingto effective use of the storage region.

For data writing onto the track, the sectors are provided with their ownrelative position that starts from the firstly-access-started sector.Using the relative position and original storage data, ECC data isgenerated for storage into the corresponding sector, i.e., the relativeposition field, the data field, and the ECC field. Data writing isstarted from the firstly-accessed-sector, and thus no rotational delaywill be caused.

For data reading, on the other hand, the sector firstly accessed on thetrack is first subjected to data reading, and based on the sectorposition derived by the relative position field, the storage location ofthe data is determined on the buffer RAM 14. In this manner, even ifdata reading is started from any arbitrary sector, the buffer RAM 14uses the relative position as a basis for data rearrangement, wherebythe data having been stored on the track can be reconstructed in theoriginal order. What is better, data reading is started from thefirstly-accessed-sector, and thus no rotational delay will be caused.

FIG. 6B schematically shows another exemplary sector format for use bythe tracks of the magnetic disk 21 in the HDD 10 of the presentembodiment.

Also in this example, similarly to the above, a sector is structured byrelative position data, a data body, and an ECC, all of which areregarded as an error correction range. However, different from the FIG.6A example, the relative position field is not a part of the recordingrange. Thus, by the size of the relative position field, the field sizeavailable for the data body in the sector can be larger than the aboveexample, thereby successfully leading to more effective use of thestorage region.

For data writing onto the track, the sectors are provided with their ownrelative position that starts from the firstly-access-started sector.Using the relative position and original storage data, ECC data isgenerated for storage into the corresponding sector only with therecording data and ECC data. Data writing is started from thefirstly-accessed-sector, and thus no rotational delay will be caused.

For data reading, on the other hand, the sector firstly accessed on thetrack is first subjected to data reading, and error correction isperformed using the ECC data so that the relative positions that havenot been written into the sectors are generated again. Then, theresulting relative positions are used as a basis to determine thestorage locations on the buffer RAM 14. In this manner, even if datareading is started from any arbitrary sector, the buffer RAM 14 is ableto reconstruct the data having been stored on the track in the originalorder. What is better, data reading is started from thefirstly-accessed-sector, and thus no rotational delay will be caused.

Described next is exemplary communications with the host at the time ofdata recording/reproduction according to such a sector format as above.

The HDD 10 of the present embodiment carries out communications asbelow, for data writing, in response to a command coming from the hostthat is connected thereto through the interface 17.

The host first issues a data writing command with respect to the HDD 10.In response, the HDD 10 searches for the current access sequence for theaddress region having the minimum seek time, and notifies the result tothe host.

Upon reception of the notification from the HDD 10, the host transfers adata content of a size of the notified address region, e.g., byte count,and the number of sectors. The HDD 10 then subjects received datacontent to a writing operation on a track basis.

Here, as already described above, the sectors have been allocated withthe relative position information with reference to the access startingposition for data writing on the track. Thus, at a write request, thehost side has no need to worry about information such as the cylindernumber, the head number, and the sector number indicating where thoseare specifically written. There is no need to give specific instructionstherefor, either.

Alternatively, the address region that is to be notified from the sideof the HDD 10 to the host may be simply a content number foridentification of contents that are requested for data writing from thehost.

On the side of the HDD 10, a conversion table is provided ready forconversion between the content number and its physical storage locationon the disk 21.

Due to the fact that disk access is performed on a track basis, such aconversion table may be the one as shown in FIG. 7, for example. Morespecifically, the table carries track numbers and head numbers eachcorresponding to its own applicable content number.

Note here that the conversion table includes no sector number of CHSsystem. This is because, with the following reasons, the conversiontable has no need to give instructions which sector to first startaccess. That is, in the exemplary structure in which the sectors havebeen allocated with the relative position information with reference tothe head sector from which an access is started for data writing on thetrack, the data can be reconstructed in the original order based on suchrelative position information no matter which sector is first accessedon the track.

This conversion table is written into the buffer RAM 14. Such tablewriting is performed by software to be executed by the disk controller13 or the CPU 11 when the writing data is provided from the host.

The HDD 10 of the present embodiment carries out communications asbelow, for data reading, in response to a command coming from the hostthat is connected thereto through the interface 17.

The host first issues a data reading command with respect to the HDD 10.The reading command is indicating which content number is a target.

In response, based on thus indicated content number, the HDD 10designates a target track from the conversion table of FIG. 7 to do aseek operation with respect to the magnetic head 22. Thereafter, byfollowing the sequence of the address region that is the response resultat the time of data writing, the data on the disk 21 is transferred.

Here, when such a data reading request is made, designating any wantingcontent number eliminates the need for the host side to worry aboutinformation such as the cylinder number, the head number, and the sectornumber where those are specifically written (PBA).

As described in the foregoing, in the HDD 10, an access is made to atrack starting from a sector on which the magnetic head 22 is located.By regarding a track as an access unit, the need for an uncertainprocess such as lookahead is eliminated so that the timing for seekstart-up can be captured without fail. What is better, no rotationaldelay is caused thanks to the fact that any sector of a track isaccessible, and data reading/writing can be started from any arbitraryhead position immediately after the seek operation is done. Thereby, theaccess time can be favorably shortened with seek frequency minimized.

Such a disk access operation is implemented in the following manner.That is, using the command process result derived by the CPU 11 as abasis, the disk controller 13 makes an instruction of hardware operationfor the data reading/writing control section 15 and the servo controlsection 16.

4. ECC Structure

As described in the foregoing, for the HDD 10 to make accesses on atrack basis, it is considered appropriate if the magnetic disk 21 isformed with ECC blocks with the basic unit of a track.

With LBA access adopted, such ECC block formation with the basic unit ofa track is not necessarily required but it surely will do.

In the below, exemplified is a case of ECC block formation with thebasic unit of a track.

FIGS. 8A and 8B both show an exemplary ECC structure with the basic unitof a track.

In FIG. 8A example, the magnetic disk 21 is divided into zones, and azone n is taken as an example to show the ECC block structure. That is,as the broken-lined track TK in the zone n, an ECC block includes atrack as its configuration unit.

The ECC block includes a first error correction code C1 in charge ofinter-sector correction, and a second error correction code C2 in chargeof intra-sector correction.

The first and second error correction codes C1 and C2 form an errorcorrection unit (ECC block structure unit) with the basic unit of atrack. In each of the tracks, such an ECC block structure unit is thusnever plural.

FIG. 8B shows another exemplary ECC block. Also in this example, themagnetic disk 21 is divided into zones, and a zone m is taken as anexample to show the ECC block structure. In this example, an ECC blockis configured by 3 tracks in the zone m. Note herein that theconfiguration unit is exemplified as being an integral multiple of atrack, and is not surely restrictive to 3 tracks.

Also in this example, the ECC block includes a first error correctioncode C1 in charge of inter-sector correction, and a second errorcorrection code C2 in charge of intra-sector correction. The first andsecond error correction codes C1 and C2 form an error correction unit(ECC block structure unit) with the basic unit of a track. In each ofthe tracks, such an ECC block structure unit is thus never plural.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary ECC block structure of the magnetic disk 21with the ECC block structure of FIGS. 8A and 8B adopted.

Herein, as an ECC correction code, exemplarily used is a Reed-Solomoncode having the symbol length of 8.

Assuming here is that a specific zone of a specific magnetic disk has768 effective sectors per track. A sector is structured by 4 interleaveswith 512-byte data, a 4-byte CRC (Cross Check Code), and a C1 having48-byte in total.

With the exemplary ECC block structure of FIG. 9, 704 sectors fromsectors 0 to 703 serve as a data region, and 64 sectors from sectors 704to 767 serve as a C2 region. The C2 region is structured by 4interleaves, each of which has 16 sectors, for example.

With such a structure being the case, an ECC block has 768 sectors intotal, serving as a track in the corresponding zone. As such, the unitof a track can be implemented.

Considered now is the error correction capability in the above example.

With regard to a random error, using a C1 enables error correction up to24 bytes per sector (up to 48 bytes in length if byte disappearanceinformation is available).

With regard to a burst error, using a C2 enables error correction up to32 sectors in length per track (up to 64 sectors if CRC result is used).

Here, the maximum number for error correction is actually set inconsideration of possible wrong correction, or others. For example,instead of 32 sectors maximum, 24 sectors may be set correctable, andsuch a setting may be made to achieve the possibility of wrongcorrection closer to 0 as close as possible.

Alternatively, the same is applicable in a case where the ECC block isthe given number of sectors instead of the unit of a track.

If this is the case, the ECC block unit may be reduced in size, e.g., anECC block has 192 (=data of 176 sectors+C2 of 16 sectors) sectors.

Described now is the reason why such error correction blocks are used.

Many of conventional HDD systems, error correction is only available onthe basis of a sector, which includes 512-byte data and informationbits.

Therefore, although any random errors occurring in the sectors aresubjectable to error correction, any random errors beyond an errorcorrection range or any burst errors, i.e., continuous errors over asector, are not.

In such cases, any possible reading errors can be reduced to a certainlevel or lower by a retry operation or others. The problem here is that,however, executing such a retry operation once basically means thelonger access by a track.

In spite of the above achievement of shorter access time derived by thetrack-basis access, a retry operation resultantly increases the accesstime after all, causing a further delay for the data reading time.

Exemplarily in systems dealing with AV contents, the transfer speed isoften required to be high for HD (High-Definition) reproduction, specialreproduction, or the like, and thus even if any uncorrectable readingerrors occur in the sector(s), no retry operation may be allowed interms of time. If this is the case, under the present circumstances,there is no choice but to go through the procedure with no errorcorrection performed, consequently degrading the reproduction quality.

For betterment, while implementing stable data reproduction with theabove ECC structure, an attempt is made to eliminate as much as possiblesuch a situation as requiring a retry operation due to no-availableerror correction.

To be more specific, in addition to C1 correction that is conventionalsector-basis error correction, C2 correction capable of intra-sectorcorrection is additionally performed. The error correction unit (ECCblock) including both C1 and C2 may be so structured as to be completedwith a track, for example.

If the ECC block unit including both C1 and C2 is completed with atrack, a track can be regarded as an access unit, thereby leading todata access control with no possible rotational delay. That is, the timetaken to access any desired data storage location can be shortened. Whatis better, with a setting that a track is not allowed to carry two ormore ECC blocks, data access control with no possible rotational delaycan be similarly implemented even if the ECC structure is of the unit ofa plurality of tracks.

In FIG. 9, with the Reed-Solomon code having the symbol length of 8,512-byte data is applicable with interleave.

FIGS. 10 and 11 both show an exemplary case where interleave is appliedin the ECC block structure of the present embodiment.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, interleave is applied to a sector n, and a sector isstructured by a 4-byte header, 512-byte data, and a 4-byte CRC. Such asector is divided into four, and to each of the division results, a12-byte ECC code C1 is added.

As an example, an interleave 0 includes a 1-byte header, 128-byte data,and a 1-byte CRC together with a 12-byte parity added. This is similarlyapplicable to interleaves 1, 2, and 3.

The interleave placement is made as follows in the sector, i.e., theinterleave 0 is placed at zero-th, the interleave 1 at first, theinterleave 2 at second, the interleave 3 at third, and at fourth, theinterleave 0 is placed again.

In each interleave, a 4-byte header comes first, 512-byte data comessecond, and a 4-byte CRC comes third. Subsequent to the CRC, a C1 codefollows.

FIG. 10 example shows the placement as a result of division byinterleave, and FIG. 11 shows the example in which addresses 0 to 567are allocated on memory.

FIGS. 10 and 11 examples are both of sector-basis likewise in FIG. 9,i.e., a sector includes a 4-byte header, 512-byte data, and a 4-byte CRCwith an ECC code C1 having 48 bytes in total, and the sector mainlyserves as a recording sector onto the magnetic disk 21.

Note here that the actual recording data is additionally provided withpreamble, synchronous signal, postamble, or others. As alternativesector-basis structures, a format with no header file or a format withno CRC is a possibility.

For such a interleave structure, a determination factor may be mainlythe hardware structure. With the Reed-Solomon code having the symbollength of 8, the interleave structure may be applied as shown in FIG. 10in the C1 direction, i.e., sector direction.

Here, the above-described interleave may be applied to C2 in charge ofintra-sector ECC. With this being the case, in FIG. 10, the similarstructure and effects can be achieved by replacing Byte in Data sectionwith a sector for expansion in the C2 direction, i.e., directionorthogonal to the sectors.

In the above example, a sector is assumed as 512-byte data. This is notthe only option for the sector size, and for example, a sector may be1024-byte or 2048-byte data to implement the ECC block structured forevery sector or between sectors similarly to the above.

In a case where an ECC block is completed with a track, once zoneswitching is performed with respect to the magnetic disk 21, the numberof sectors per track varies. Thus, with the structure in which thenumber of ECC parities are the same, the error correction capabilitieswill considerably vary among zones.

As a measure taken therefor, the ECC block structure may be changed on azone basis so that the redundancy of the error correction code falls ina given range. In this manner, the error correction capability can be inthe same level over the tracks of the disk.

In FIG. 3 example, per track, the zone 0 has 64 sectors, the zone 1 has32 sectors, and the zone 2 has 16 sectors. These zones share the samerotation speed, but have each different operation clock so that thetrack recording density in each zone falls within a given range.

In this case, the ECC is added with a C1 for every sector. The C1structure is unchangeable and remains the same, specifically, as thestructure of FIG. 9, for example.

As to the C2 structure, the zone 0 has 64 sectors, 8 sectors of whichare C2 parities. Similarly, the zone 1 has 32 sectors, 4 sectors ofwhich are C2 parities, and the zone 2 has 16 sectors, 2 sectors of whichare C2 parities.

Such a structure keeps constant the ratio of the data sectors per trackto the C2 parity sectors in the respective zones, and make uniform theC2 correction capability among the zones.

Note here that with the actual format, the redundancy of the ECC partmay be so set as to fall within a given range. This is because there arefew divisible numbers such as the relation between zone and the numberof sectors.

As such, in addition to have C1+C2 structure with an ECC block completedwith a track, and have the interleave structure, the redundancy of theECC part is controlled to fall within a given range with changeable ECCstructure on a zone basis, stable data reproduction is achieved withwhich error correction is available for random errors and burst errorsover a wider range, i.e., tracks of a disk.

In this example, the C1 part of the ECC structure is unchangeable butthe C2 part thereof is changeable. Thereby, the redundancy of the ECCpart, i.e., error correction capability, is controlled to be within agiven range. Alternatively, the error correction capability may becontrolled to fall within a give range with the C1 part made changeableon a zone basis but the C2 part unchangeable, or C1 and C2 may becomprehensively controlled to control the error correction capability tofall within a given range.

5. ECC Block Setting for LBA Access

Although the ECC block structure is basically the same as above,embodied herein is the ECC block structure in which, as on-track sectorplacement, a C2 sector is placed in a servo frame locating at the headfrom which access is started immediately after a seek operation is doneto the track.

About such an ECC block structure, described are a case with LBA access,and a case with an access method using the above-described track-basisrelative addresses.

By referring to FIGS. 12 to 14, described first is the case with LBAaccess.

FIG. 12 shows in detail the sector placement of the above example. Inthis case, the access unit is not restricted to a track, and each sectoris assigned an LBA.

FIG. 12 schematically shows the sector placement in two tracks in thezone one 1 locating at the middle part of the disk 21 having the zones0, 1, and 2 as shown in FIG. 3. Exemplified here is a case that thetracks in the zone 1 each have 32 sectors similarly to the above.

The drawing shows two types of radial lines, i.e., thick and thin solidlines. The thin lines each indicate the sector boundary, and the thicklines each indicate both the servo frame boundary and sector boundary.For example, in each of the tracks, the thick line means a servo areaSRV (refer to FIG. 5) is formed there, and an area between the thicklines is a servo frame.

In FIG. 12 example, in the zones 0, 1, and 2, the tracks are all eachdivided into 8 servo frames. Due to the fact that a track has 32 sectorsin the zone 1, a servo frame therein has 4 sectors.

As shown in the drawing, any specific 2 tracks (TK1 and TK2) in the zone1 are sequentially assigned LBA numbers from “1” to “64”, for example.Here, these “1” to “64” are illustrative numbers, and actually serve asLBA numbers, which are assigned in sequence to all of the tracks fromthe outermost track rim of the disk toward the inside.

In the track TK1 in the zone 1, the sectors are assigned LBA numbers of“1” to “32”, and in the next track TK2, the sectors are assigned LBAnumbers of “33” to “64”. In this case, the head sector “1” in the trackTK1 and the head sector “33” in the track TK2 are both off the track bya track skew, which is defined by information about the rotation speed,servo area, or others.

The track skew is of the unit of a servo frame including a plurality ofradially-provided servo areas on the disk.

That is, as a seek operation to be done from a certain track to the nexttrack, the head sector is so set as to be displaced in consideration ofa track skew by a servo frame due to the disk rotation and the timetaken for track jump as indicated by an arrow TJ.

The sectors “1” to “32” in the track TK1 are first accessed, and thenthe sectors in the track TK2 are accessed. At this time, because thehead sector is displaced by a track skew, accesses are to be made fromthe sector “33” with the shorter wait time after the seek operation isthrough.

LBA access at data reading starts from LBA “1” to “32” in the track TK1of FIG. 12, and then LBA “33” to “64” after the track TK2 is throughwith a seek operation.

In this example, the track has the ECC block structure, and out of the32 sectors in the zone 1, 26 sectors are data sectors, and 6 sectors areC2 sectors.

By referring to FIG. 12, the track TK1 has the C2 sectors of LBA “1”,“5”, “9”, “13”, “17”, and “21”, and in the next track TK2, the C2sectors are LBA “33”, “37”, “41”, “45”, “49”, and “53”.

It means that the head sector (LBA “1” in the track TK1, or LBA “33” inthe track TK2) in the head servo frame after the seek operation is atleast included, and also in the subsequent 5 servo frames, their headsectors each have a C2 sector.

FIG. 13 shows another exemplary structure.

Similarly to FIG. 12 example, LBA access at data reading starts from LBA“1” to “32” in the track TK1, and then LBA “33” to “64” after the trackTK2 is through with a seek operation. In this example, the tracksimilarly has the ECC block structure, and out of the 32 sectors in thezone 1, 26 sectors are data sectors, and 6 sectors are C2 sectors.

In FIG. 13 example, the track TK1 has the C2 sectors of LBA “1”, “2”,“5”, “6”, “29”, and “30”, and in the next track TK2, the C2 sectors areLBA “33”, “34”, “37”, “38”, “61”, and “62”.

It means that the head sector (LBA “1” in the track TK1, or LBA “33” inthe track TK2) in the head servo frame after the seek operation is atleast included, and also in its preceding and subsequent servo frames,their head sectors each have a C2 sector. In each of the servo frames,the head sector and the subsequent sector are also made C2 sectors.

FIG. 14 shows still another exemplary structure.

Similarly to FIG. 12 example, LBA access at data reading starts from LBA“1” to “32” in the track TK1, and then LBA “33” to “64” after the trackTK2 is through with a seek operation. In this example, the tracksimilarly has the ECC block structure of a track, and out of the 32sectors in the zone 1, 26 sectors are data sectors, and 6 sectors are C2sectors.

In this FIG. 14 example, the track TK1 has the C2 sectors of LBA “1”,“4”, “5”, “8”, “29”, and “32”, and in the next track TK2, the C2 sectorsare LBA “33”, “36”, “37”, “40”, “61”, and “64”.

It means that the head sector (LBA “1” in the track TK1, or LBA “33” inthe track TK2) in the head servo frame after the seek operation is atleast included, and also in its preceding and subsequent servo frames,their head sectors each have a C2 sector. In these servo frames, theirtail sectors are also the C2 sectors.

Such 3 placement examples are all equivalent to recording/reproductionin the ECC block structure of FIG. 9 example, in which the C2 sector isplurally provided in the ECC block at their predetermined positions.FIGS. 15 to 17 examples all show such a state.

FIGS. 15 to 17 examples have a correspondence, respectively, with thetrack in zone 1 of FIGS. 12 to 14 examples, and for example, show thesectors structuring the ECC block for a track. Therein, a track includes8 servo frames SF1 to SF8.

In those examples, the LBA number starts from “3FC” from the headsector.

FIG. 15 shows the sector placement in a case with FIG. 12 example, i.e.,the head sector is a C2 sector in the given servo frames (SF1 to SF6)including the head servo frame. In this case, the C2 sectors are sectors“3FC”, “400”, “404”, “408”, “40C”, and “410”.

As FIG. 15 example, as a result of ECC block formation including the C2sectors as such, and data writing into a specific track, the head of thegiven number of servo frames including the head servo frame will be theC2 sector as shown in FIG. 12.

Assuming here that the LBA “1” in the track TK1 of FIG. 12 is actually“3FC”, formed is the ECC block including the C2 sector as FIG. 15. Andif data writing is made to the track TK1, the C2 sectors will be “1”,“5”, “9”, “13”, “17”, and “21” as shown in FIG. 12.

Also in the next track TK2, formed is the ECC block with the C2 sectorsformed as shown in FIG. 15, and data writing thereto makes the sectors“33”, “37”, “41”, “45”, “49”, “53”, and “33” the C2 sectors.

That is, by writing the ECC-block-set data in accordance with LBA, atdata reading, the head sector of the head servo frame from which datareading is started immediately after on-track can be provided with theC2 sector of the ECC block.

FIG. 16 shows the sector placement in a case with FIG. 13 example, andin the head servo frame and its preceding and subsequent servo frames(SF1, SF2, and SF8), their two head sectors from the head are all a C2sector. In this case, the sectors “3FC”, “3FD”, “400”, “401”, “418”, and“419” are all a C2 sector.

As such FIG. 16 example, as a result of ECC block formation includingthe C2 sectors, and data writing into a specific track in accordancewith LBA, the head servo frame and two sectors from the head of itspreceding and subsequent servo frames will be all a C2 sector as shownin FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 shows the sector placement in a case with FIG. 14 example, andin the head servo frame and its preceding and subsequent servo frames(SF1, SF2, and SF8), their head sectors and tail sectors are all a C2sector. In this case, the sectors “3FC”, “3FF”, “400”, “403”, “418”, and“41B” are all a C2 sector.

As such FIG. 17 example, as a result of ECC block formation includingthe C2 sectors, and data writing into a specific track in accordancewith LBA, the head servo frame, and head and tail sectors of itspreceding and subsequent servo frames will all have a C2 sector as shownin FIG. 14.

The above three placements are described by way of example, in which atrack has 32 sectors including 6 sectors being the C2 sectors, and aservo frame includes 4 sectors. FIG. 18 shows more general exemplarysector placement in which the C2 sector is plurally placed at theirpredetermined positions in the ECC block.

FIG. 18 shows the sectors structuring the ECC blocks by a track or ntracks as an example in which the LBA number starts from 3FC.

Assuming that 10 sectors can be accommodated in a servo frame, a C2sector accompanies 9 sectors all serving as a data sector as FIG. 18.That is, as FIG. 12 (FIG. 15) example, the head sectors of thepredetermined number of servo frames including the head servo frame SF1are all a C2 sector.

The reasons for such C2 sector placement as above examples are as below.

When data reading is carried out successively at high speed with a seekoperation required, to keep a given transfer speed, there may be caseswhere read errors are difficult to be recovered by a retry operationeven if those occur. What is worse, read errors will occur morefrequently if any disturbances such as vibrations are caused, and oftenoccur in the vicinity of the area at which data reading is startedimmediately after a seek operation and on-track. A possible reasontherefor is that the track positioning is not done with enoughstability, for example.

Considered here is a case where data reading immediately after a seekoperation is very unstable, or a case where more sector errors occurthan expected due to many errors as a result of data reading madeimmediately after a seek operation under any disturbed state, andexceeds the C2 correction capability set for the ECC block.

When no error correction is available, the read data is output as it iswith no error correction process or others. The sector area where manyerrors are observed is in the vicinity of the area at which data readingis just started.

Under such circumstances, as in the present embodiment, by placing a C2sector being a redundant sector in the vicinity of the area at whichdata reading is just started, i.e., in the head servo frame, data lossdue to errors can be reduced even if those errors are uncorrectable.

As an example, an error correction block is generated for data writingin such a manner that, after a seek operation reaches a specific track,the head sector of a servo frame in charge of the first track reading isa C2 sector. Thereby, at a read access, the sector immediately afterreading is started can be a C2 sector being a redundant part.

To be more specific, by forming an error correction block at leastincluding a C2 sector at the head thereof, a read access is started fromthe C2 sector immediately after on-track.

In this case, assuming that errors are occurring due to disturbances orothers, the erroneous sectors are to be many observed in the part of theC2 sector.

This thus enables data output imposing less effects on any erroneoussectors that have been output without recovery. This is because sucherroneous sectors are often occurring in the redundant sectors.Accordingly, implemented thereby is more stable data reproduction.

As is understood from the above, it is considered most effective if thehead sector of the servo frame SF1 from which data reading is started isa C2 sector as above.

Herein, allocating one or more sectors including the head sectorimmediately subsequent to the servo frame to any given C2 sector(s) issurely left to the discretion of systems.

For example, when the disturbances such as vibrations are high in level,the seek time is required longer for any expected given skew. Thus, theposition from which data reading is started immediately after on-trackmay be displaced to a considerable extent. If a consideration is givento such a seek time difference resulted from disturbances, as the aboveexamples, it is considered preferable if the C2 sector is placed in theservo frames except for the one at the head, e.g., the given number ofservo frames subsequent to the servo frame at the head, or servo framesbefore and after the head servo frame.

Moreover, if a consideration is given to the fact that disorderimmediately after a seek operation under the disturbed state continuesfor awhile, as FIG. 13 example, it is considered effective if thepredetermined number of sectors subsequent to the head sector in theservo frame are all replaced with C2 sectors.

Further, if a consideration is given to the fact that errors often occurin the sector at the tail in the servo frame, it is considered effectiveif the head and tail sectors are replaced with a C2 sector in the servoframe.

In FIGS. 12 to 14, exemplified is a case where the ECC block structureis of a track basis, but this is surely not restrictive. That is, evenwhen the ECC block structure is not of a track basis but the number ofsectors, similarly, data reproduction is implemented in more stablemanner by having such a structure that the first reading sector in thetrack after a target moves to a certain track by a seek operation is theC2 sector.

In the above examples, the number of C2 sectors in the ECC block is soset as to derive any given redundancy in accordance with the number ofsectors in the ECC block, and in FIGS. 12 to 14 examples, 6 sectors areC2 sectors out of 32 sectors. This is surely no more than an example,and the number of servo areas is also an example.

Actually, the number of C2 sectors is set to derive a given redundancywith the sectors in the ECC block that is completed with one or moretracks in the respective zones. Placement of such C2 sectors is alsodependent on the number of servo frames.

For example, in an exemplary case where an ECC block is completed with atrack and is divided into about 1000 sectors per track, and a track has96 servo areas, at least the head sector in all of the 96 servo frameson the track may be regarded as a C2 sector.

Even with such redundancy or the number of servo frames, the C2 sectormay be plurally placed in the servo frames in the vicinity of the headservo frame. As described in the foregoing, at least, it is consideredpreferable to place the C2 sectors in the servo frames in the vicinityof the servo frame from which reading is started after on-track, or inany places where errors often occur, i.e., head sector in the servoframe, the sector subsequent to the head sector, the tail sector, or thelike.

6. ECC Block Setting for Relative Address Access

By referring to FIGS. 19 to 21, described next is a case where atrack-basis access method using relative addresses is adopted.

FIG. 19 shows detailed sector placement. In such a case, an access unitis a track, and as already described, the sectors are each assigned itsrelative address.

Similarly to FIG. 12 example, FIG. 19 schematically shows the sectorplacement in 2 tracks in the zone 1. Each track in the zone 1 has 32sectors, each track is formed with 8 servo frames, and a servo frame inthe zone 1 includes 4 sectors.

In this example, a track is of the ECC block structure, and out of 32sectors per track in the zone 1, 24 sectors are data sectors, and 8sectors are C2 sectors.

As shown in the drawing, any specific 2 tracks (TK1 and TK2) in the zone1 are assigned relative addresses from “1” to “32”. Here, these relativeaddresses “1” to “32” are those assigned to the tracks in sequence at awrite access, and are not fixedly assigned to the physical positions ofthe sectors on the track.

The sector in the track TK1 having the relative address of “1” is asector that becomes first accessible for a write access after a seekoperation is through to the track TK1.

Assuming that data writing is made successively to the tracks TK1 andTK2, in the track TK1 of the zone 1, the sectors are assigned relativeaddresses of “1” to “32”, and in the next track TK2, the sectors arealso assigned the relative addresses of “1” to “32. In such a case, theposition displacement between the head sectors “1” of the tracks TK1 andTK2 is a displacement before an access after a seek operation (trackjump TJ) is made from the track TK1 to TK2. This is not necessarily thesame as the above-described track skew that is defined by informationincluding the rotation speed, the servo area, or others.

A write access in accordance with the relative addresses is first madefrom the relative addresses “1” to “32” in the track TK1 of FIG. 19, andthen the relative addresses “1” to “32” after the track TK2 is throughwith a seek operation.

In this example, in FIG. 19, the track TK1 has the C2 sectors having therelative addresses of “1”, “5”, “9”, “13”, “17”, “21”, “25”, and “29”,and the next track TK2 has the C2 sectors having the relative addressesof “1”, “5”, “9”, “13”, “17”, “21”, “25”, and “29”.

Such placement examples are equivalent to recording/reproduction in theECC block structure of FIG. 9, in which the C2 sectors are placed in theECC block at their given positions including the head sector. FIG. 20shows such a state.

FIG. 20 shows a sector structuring an ECC block for a track, forexample. Unlike FIG. 19 example in which a servo frame includes 4sectors, exemplified in FIG. 20 is a case where a servo frame includes10 sectors.

As shown in the drawings, ECC block formation is carried out in such amanner that the head sector of the servo frames SF1, SF2, and othershaving the relative addresses of “1”, “11”, “21” and others are C2sectors. After such ECC block formation, and after data writing is madesequentially to the tracks TK1 and TK2, the head sector of the servoframe of the respective tracks will be all a C2 sector.

That is, by forming an error correction block for data writing in such amanner that at least the head sector is a C2 sector in every servoframe, at a read access, the sector from which the data reading isstarted will be a C2 sector being a redundant part.

In more detail, by placing a C2 sector and (n−1) data sectors inaccordance with the number of sectors n in the servo frame, the headsector in the servo frame will be always a C2 sector.

As described in the foregoing, no matter where the on-track positionderived by a seek operation, the relative address access canadvantageously eliminate rotational delay by performing write or readaccess from the position.

In other words, the head servo frame immediately after a seek operationis not unchangeable as with the LBA access. That is, any servo frame onthe track can serve as a “head servo frame” from which a read access isstarted immediately after a seek operation is through.

If this is the case, with the fact that every servo frame can be the“head servo frame”, as shown in FIG. 19, it is understood thatstructuring the head sector as a C2 sector in every servo frame isconsidered preferable.

This allows, at a read access, to start a read access from the C2 sectorimmediately after on-track, favorably leading to less-affected dataoutput for any error-including sectors that have been output withoutrecovery.

Specifically, the reason for more stable data reproduction is the sameas that described with LBA access in the above.

Moreover, as described with the relative access method, eliminating therotational delay is advantageous in terms of transfer rate.

As FIG. 19, providing a track with 32 sectors including 8 C2 sectors isan exemplary case.

Actually, the number of C2 sectors is set to derive a given level ofredundancy with the sectors in the ECC block that is completed with oneor more tracks. Placement of such C2 sectors is also dependent on thenumber of servo frames.

For example, in an exemplary case where an ECC block is completed with atrack and is divided into about 1000 sectors per track, and a track has96 servo areas, at least the head sector in all of the 96 servo frameson the track may be a C2 sector.

In the entire or partial servo frames, surely, the head sector and itssubsequent sector may be both a C2 sector, or the head and tail sectorsmay be a C2 sector.

For example, if a consideration is given to such a seek time differenceresulted from disturbances such as vibrations, it is consideredpreferable if the given number of servo frames subsequent to the headsector in the servo frame are all replaced with a C2 sector.

Moreover, if a consideration is given to the fact that errors oftenoccur in the sector at the tail in the servo frame, it is consideredeffective if the head and tail sector are both replaced with a C2 sectorin the servo frame.

With the relative address access, considered may be a case where a C2sector is provided to not entire but partial servo frames in a track asFIG. 21 example. If this is the case, the following circumstances becomean issue.

With the relative address access, there is no clue which servo framewill be the above-described “head servo frame”. If this is the case, ifonly the partial servo frames are provided with the C2 sector, thesector immediately after on-track at data reading is not always a C2sector.

Thus, in a case where only the partial servo frames are provided withthe C2 sector, when a plurality of tracks are subjected to data writingby write accesses successively made at one time, there needs to exercisean operation control in such a manner that the sector from which thereading is started immediately after on-track is a C2 sector for thesecond track (track TK2 in this example) and thereafter out of thoseplurally provided.

As described in the foregoing, with the relative address access, anysector is available for data writing/reading on a track. The relativeaddress allocation is performed from any writable sector, and in thissense, every sector is available for writing. At data reading, the readsector data of a track is rearranged on the buffer RAM 14 based on therelative addresses, and thus any sector is available for reading.

That is, any sector in the track is available for access. Thus, byperforming data reading/writing from any arbitrary head positionimmediately after a seek operation, the rotational delay can beeliminated as described above.

This means that, at data reading, there is no need to start data readingfrom the sector having the relative address of “1”.

Considered here is an exemplary case where the C2 sectors are thesectors having the relative addresses of “1”, “2”, “5”, “6”, “9”, and“10” as shown in FIG. 21.

Exemplified first is a case where a seek operation is done to the trackTK1 of FIG. 21. After on-track, no matter what relative address thereadable sector has, a read access may be started from the sector for atrack. For example, when the head position immediately after a seekoperation is located at the sector having the relative address of “17”,accesses may be made to the sectors in sequence having the relativeaddresses of “17”, “18”, . . . “32”, “1”, “2”, . . . and “16”. Thissuccessfully eliminates the rotational delay.

If the same is applicable, as to the next track TK2, a seek operationmay be made immediately after the sector “16” is read out. However, withthis being the case, the track TK2 on-tracks in the vicinity of thesector “17”, i.e., the first sector immediately after on-track will notbecome a C2 sector (any one of the sectors “1”, “2”, “5”, “6”, “9”, and“10”). As a result, no such effects as described above can be achievedagainst the disturbances.

In consideration thereof, two manners are to be possible after therotational delay if needed for the first track. That is, in the firstmanner, a read access is started from the sector having the relativeaddress of “1”, or in the second manner, a read access is first made fora track, and when the sector having the relative address of “32” comes,a seek operation is done to the next track.

When the first manner is adopted and when a read access is started fromthe sector having the relative address of “1”, a seek operation is firstdone to the on-track TK1 for any required length of rotational delay,and data reading is started when the sector having the relative addressof “1” comes. In such a manner, by doing a seek operation to the nexttrack TK2 when the sectors having the relative addresses of “1” to “32”in a track are through with data reading, also in the track TK2, datareading can be started in the vicinity of the sector having the relativeaddress of “1”. Therefore, the first sector immediately after the seekoperation is a C2 sector.

Although not shown in FIG. 21, the first sector immediately after theseek operation becomes the C2 sector similarly to the case where trackreading is done successively from the tracks TK3, TK4, and others.

In such a case, the tracks TK3, TK4, and others are those having beenthrough with a write access in a sequential manner from the track TK1.With the relative address access method, data writing may be startedfrom any arbitrary sector immediately after the seek operation. However,if the track is the one having been through with writing by successivewrite accesses, as the tracks TK1 and TK2, the head sector “1” shows adisplacement as a result of a seek operation (track jump TJ). It meansif the seek operation is made immediately after the sector “32”, thenext track becomes available from the area closer to the sector “1”.

When adopted is the second manner in which a read access is first madefor a track, and when the sector having the relative address of “32”comes, a seek operation is done to the next track, and a data reading ismade for a track without rotational delay immediately after the on-trackafter the seek operation to the track TK1, for example. Then, after suchdata reading for a track, the rotational delay is made as required, andwhen the sector having the relative address of “32” comes, a seekoperation is done to the next track TK2. In this case, in the track TK2,data reading is started in the vicinity of the sector having therelative address of “1”. Thus, the sector immediately after the seekoperation becomes a C2 sector. Thereafter, in the track TK2, after thesectors having the relative addresses of “1” to “32” are subjected todata reading, a seek operation is done to the next track TK3. As such,the same is applicable also to the track TK3.

As described in the foregoing, to place the C2 sectors to a part of theservo frames when the relative address access is adopted, data readingmay be started from the sector having the relative address of “1” onlyfor the first track, or after a track is subjected to data reading, aseek operation may be done after the sector of the relative address of“32” comes. In this manner, data reading is started from the C2 sectorimmediately after the seek operation in the tracks subsequent to thetrack TK2.

Herein, the first track means the track that is placed at the head whenthe given number of tracks are regarded as a unit. For example, as aunit, the given number of tracks are to be successive in number at datarecording/reproduction, and has the uniform track skew by a seekoperation.

With this being the case, such an advantage of the relative addressaccess that the rotational delay is eliminated at data reading ispartially lost, but the rotational delay is still favorably eliminatedat a write access. Assuming that the tracks TK1 and TK2 are subjected todata writing, the LBA access requires rotational delay when the trackTK1 is on-track. With the relative address access, on the other hand,data writing can be started by regarding any arbitrary sector as havingthe relative address of “1” immediately after on-track to the track TK1.

Note here that FIGS. 19 and 21 show the examples that the ECC blockstructure is a track. This is not surely restrictive, and the ECC blockstructure may be of an n-track basis.

7. Read Process

As described in the foregoing, the HDD 10 of the present embodimentforms an ECC block for placement in such a manner that any sectors inthe servo frame firstly carrying out data reading immediately after aseek operation for a track, i.e., any sectors in which errors are easyto occur due to disturbances, become C2 sectors. Thereby, even ifC2-uncorrectable errors occur under the state that no recoveryexemplarily by a retry operation is available, data loss is reduced.Consequently, data reproduction can be carried out in a more stablemanner.

Such an advantage is described next together with a read process.

FIG. 22 shows a flow of an error sector correction process at datareading.

First in step F101, a data read process is carried out. As a result, thegiven number of sectors are read for storage into the buffer RAM 14. Ina case where C2 sectors are placed only a part of the servo frames onthe track with the relative address access, the first track for the readprocess is required to be applied with the above-described control of(1) or (2).

In the next step F102, the disk controller 13 acquires from the bufferRAM 14 the sector data on an ECC block basis, and checks whether thesectors has any sector errors by going through a C1 correction in asector, for example.

When no sector error is found, the C1-corrected data is put back ontothe buffer RAM 14. In Step F106, any redundant part, i.e., the C2sectors are removed from the ECC-block-basis sectors on the buffer RAM14, and any need data sectors are extracted. This is the end of the dataread process. In more detail, the sector data including no C2 sector onthe buffer RAM 14 is output from the interface 17 via the hostcontroller 32. The output read data is correct data having no error.

When any sector error is detected as occurring in step F102, on theother hand, the procedure goes to step F103 for a C2 correction process.

When the C2 sector is sector-correctable, the procedure goes from stepF104 to F105, and the read data extracted from the buffer RAM 14 issubjected to the C2 correction process so that the properly-correcteddata is acquired. Thus corrected data is then written onto the bufferRAM 14.

Thereafter, in step F106, any redundant sector part, i.e., the C2sectors are removed from the ECC-block-basis data, and any need datasectors are extracted for output. This is the end of the data readprocess. Also in this case, the output read data is correct data havingno error.

When step F104 determines that no C2 correction is available, no sectorerror correction process is executed. In this case, the disk controller13 sends the data extracted from the buffer RAM 14 for error correctionback to the buffer RAM 14 as it is. In Step F106, any C2 sectors beingthe redundant sector are removed from the not-corrected ECC-block-basisdata for output. This is the end of the data read process. In this case,the output read data may include errors.

As is understood from the description made referring to FIGS. 11 to 15,it is highly possible that the error-occurring sectors are the C2sectors. Accordingly, even if no error correction is applicable, theerror sectors may possibly be removed by the time when step F106 isexecuted for output after the C2 sectors are removed. Thus,comprehensively, even if C2 correction is not applicable, the data lossdue to the uncorrectable error can be reduced.

8. Application Example

The present invention is not restrictive to the above examples, andsurely applicable to various types of cases as follows:

Exemplified above is the case where the HDD 10 carries two of themagnetic disk 21. The present invention is also applicable to a casewhere the HDD 10 carries one, or three or more magnetic disks 21. Thedisk 21 may have front and back sides both being recordable. The numberof the magnetic head 22 may vary, but this does not hinder theapplication possibilities of the present invention.

Although the disk 21 is often unremovably incorporated in HDDs, the disk21 may be removable in HDDs. The present invention is still applicableto such cases.

Further, the present invention is applicable also in disk systems otherthan the HDDs, e.g., optical disk recording/reproducing system, andmagneto-optical disk recording/reproducing system.

Still further, as to the C2 sector placement, the servo frame locatingat the head immediately after on-track with a seek operation done, thehead sector is not necessarily be a C2 sector. Here, placing the C2sector in the servo frame itself is considered effective. This isbecause the adverse effects by disturbances are easily observed in thesectors of the head servo frame.

Still further, exemplified above are basically the servo frame structureas FIG. 5A, i.e., a servo frame carries a plurality of sectors. However,the present invention is surely applicable to the servo frame structurein which the sectors are not provided in integral multiple as FIG. 5B.

For example, the sector numbered 9 in FIG. 5B is split into sectors 9-1and 9-2, and recorded across two servo frames. Here, if the servo framecarrying the sectors 9-2, 10, and others has the C2 sector at its head,the sector 9-2 is the head sector. Thus, the sector 9, i.e., sectors 9-1and 9-2, is the C2 sector. If this is the case, even if the head sectoris the C2 sector, the head sector and the tail sector immediately beforethe head sector will be both the C2 sectors, and schematically, it issimilar to FIG. 14 example. Surely in such a case, the same effects asdescribed above can be derived.

The program of the present invention is a program implementing thecapabilities of the HDD 10. Especially by the program activated by theCPU 11, and by the components of the HDD 10 controlled by the program, aprocess of implementing the ECC block structure described by referringto FIGS. 18 and 20 is executed.

Such a program may be previously recorded on the ROM/RAM 12, forexample, or may be recorded on the magnetic disk 21 for loading onto theROM/RAM 12.

According to the present invention, provided are datarecording/reproducing system and method, a program, and a recordingmedium those are superior to others, capable of realizing stable datareproduction with good redundancy effects using error correction codes.

In more detail, using a first error correction code unit makes randomerrors correctable in sectors, and using a second error correction codeunit makes errors correctable even if those exceed an error correctionrange, and burst errors even if those occur across the sectors.Accordingly, even if no retry operation is available to keep a datatransfer speed constant or higher, error correction can be properlyapplied, favorably resulting in more stable system. As such, byeliminating the need for the retry operation with error-correctablerandom errors and burst errors over a wider range, data reproduction canbe performed stably without causing the reduction of the transfer speed.

What is more, in the error correction block structure, a sector havingthe second error correction code (C2 sector) is set to be located in theservo frame from which data reading is started-when a seek operationreaches the C2 sector in a specific track. With such a setting, anaccess to be made immediately after the seek operation will be startedfrom the servo frame including the C2 sector. For example, having the C2sector at the head of the servo frame will start an access from the C2sector. Accordingly, the C2 sector can be placed at where errors easilyoccur due to disturbances, thereby successfully minimizing the adverseeffects to be caused by the disturbances on the data sectors, andrealizing stable data reproduction. More specifically, even if the ECCcorrection capability is not set enough and thus errors occur, it ishighly possible that errors occur to the C2 sectors. As such, any dataloss to be caused by the errors can be effectively reduced.

Moreover, the C2 sectors may be placed not only in the head servo framebut also in its preceding and subsequent servo frames, or every servoframe is provided with a C2 sector. With this being the case, as ameasure taken for a case where unexpected accidents occur, the sameeffects as above can be derived no matter if the seek position ischanged.

For placing the C2 sectors in the head servo frame or any other servoframes, there needs to make sure that at least the head sector is the C2sector to derive most effective effects. This is because the head sectorin the servo frame often suffers errors.

The sectors plurally following the head sector are to be the C2 sectorsso as to derive effectiveness for a case where disturbances are high inlevel and thus error sectors appear in sequence.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, an access is startedfrom the first accessible sector on a track having been though with aseek operation for a write access for a track. This makes a track anaccess unit, and implemented thereby is data write access controlcausing no rotational delay. In other words, the data access time can befavorably shortened.

Also in such an access method, any adverse effects by disturbances canbe minimized if the head position immediately after the seek operationis in the C2 sector. That is, stable reading can be achieved at a readaccess. Especially, in this case, no servo frame can be designated forstarting an access, and thus in every servo frame, it is consideredeffective that the head sector is the C2 sector.

1. A data recording/reproducing system for a disk recording medium inwhich tracks are concentrically formed and each having a plurality ofsectors, servo regions are radially oriented at predetermined positionson each of the tracks, and servo frames are formed on the tracks withthe sectors placed between the servo regions, the system comprising:seek means for seeking a target track; data access means for making anaccess on the found track; and error correction means for generating anerror correction code for data error correction, and carrying out thedata error correction based on the error correction code, wherein theerror correction means sets a first error correction code unit to agiven amount of data, sets a second error correction code unit that iscorresponding to two or more of the first error correction code units,forms an error correction block including two or more of the first errorcorrection code units and the second error correction code unit providedthereto, and generates the error correction block so that at least oneof the sectors each provided with the second error correction code unitis located in the servo frame at a head sector from which the dataaccess means first starts reading when the seek means moves onto aspecific track of the recording medium.
 2. The datarecording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the errorcorrection means forms the error correction block in which the sectorprovided with the second error correction code unit is plurally placedso that two or more of the servo frames preceding or subsequent to thehead servo frame on the track also include the sector provided with thesecond error correction code unit.
 3. The data recording/reproducingsystem according to claim 1, wherein the error correction means formsthe error correction block in which the sector provided with the seconderror correction code unit is plurally provided so that all of the servoframes on the track also include the sector provided with the seconderror correction code unit.
 4. The data recording/reproducing systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the error correction means forms the errorcorrection block so that at least the sector locating at the head in theservo frame is the sector provided with the second error correction codeunit.
 5. The data recording/reproducing system according to claim 1,wherein the error correction means forms the error correction block sothat two or more of the sectors in sequence from the head sector in theservo frame is the sector provided with the second error correction codeunit.
 6. The data recording/reproducing system according to claim 1,wherein the error correction means forms the error correction block sothat the head sector and a tail sector in the servo frame are thesectors each provided with the second error correction code unit.
 7. Thedata recording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein theerror correction means forms the error correction block so that thesector provided with the second error correction code unit is located atthe head at least in the error correction block.
 8. The datarecording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the errorcorrection means forms the error correction block so that the sectorprovided with the second error correction code unit is plurally placedin the error correction block.
 9. The data recording/reproducing systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the error correction means forms the errorcorrection block so that the error correction block is completed withone or more tracks.
 10. The data recording/reproducing system accordingto claim 1, wherein the error correction means forms the errorcorrection code with Reed-Solomon.
 11. The data recording/reproducingsystem according to claim 1, wherein the error correction block to beformed by the error correction means has an interleave structure in thefirst or second error correction code unit.
 12. The datarecording/reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the dataaccess means makes an access to the whole track found by the seek means,starting a write access from the sector whichever becomes accessiblefirst.
 13. The data recording/reproducing system according to claim 12,wherein the data access means reproduces written data by sequentiallyallocating, a relative position address to the sectors specifically fromthe firstly-accessed on the track, and at a read access, by rearranging,at a read access, the data read from the sectors on the track inaccordance with the relative position addresses.
 14. The datarecording/reproducing system according to claim 12, wherein the errorcorrection means forms the error correction block so that none of thetracks has two or more of the error correction blocks, and the errorcorrection block is completed with one or more tracks.
 15. A datarecording/reproducing method for a disk recording medium in which tracksare concentrically formed and each having a plurality of sectors, servoregions are radially oriented at predetermined positions on each of thetracks, and servo frames are formed on the tracks with the sectorsplaced between the servo regions, the method comprising: seeking atarget track; accessing the found track; and generating an errorcorrection code for data error correction, and carrying out the dataerror correction based on the error correction code, wherein thegenerating an error correction code sets a first error correction codeunit to a given amount of data, sets a second error correction code unitthat is corresponding to two or more of the first error correction codeunits, forms an error correction block including two or more of thefirst error correction code units and the second error correction codeunit provided thereto, and generates the error correction block so thatat least one of the sectors each provided with the second errorcorrection code unit is located in the servo frame at a head sector fromwhich the accessing the found track first starts reading when theseeking a target track reaches a specific track of the recording medium.16. A computer readable storage medium encoded with a computer readableprogram for executing on a computer system a data recording/reproducingprocess with respect to a disk recording medium in which tracks areconcentrically formed and each having a plurality of sectors, servoregions are radially oriented at predetermined positions on each of thetracks, and servo frames are formed on the tracks with the sectorsplaced between the servo regions, configured to cause an informationprocessing apparatus to execute a method, the method comprising: seekinga target track; accessing the found track; and generating an errorcorrection code for data error correction, and carrying out the dataerror correction based on the error correction code; and storing in amemory the error correction code for data error correction, wherein thegenerating an error correction code sets a first error correction codeunit to a given amount of data, sets a second error correction code unitthat is corresponding to two or more of the first error correction codeunits, and form an error correction block including two or more of thefirst error correction code units and the second error correction codeunit provided thereto, and generates the error correction block so thatat least one of the sectors each provided with the second errorcorrection code unit is located in the servo frame at a head sector fromwhich the accessing the found track first starts reading when theseeking a target track reaches a specific track of the recording medium.